LED Lights: What is the difference between Warm White and Cool White?

This entry was posted on May 29, 2017 by Scott Pendlebury.

If you want to replace your old, traditional incandescent or halogen lights with LED lights, or if you are planning on building a new space with LED lighting you need to choose your light color. If you are not yet familiar with LED technology or have seen confusing terms such as "3000K vs 4000K" then this article will make you fully informed. We’ll discuss the difference between Warm White and Cool White LEDs as well as the ideal situations when you should use them. First, let’s take a short look at what LED is all about.

LED Lights - The Benefits And What To Look For

LED is the latest lighting technology and far superior to traditional incandescent and halogen lights. The key benefits of LED lighting over traditional lighting is it is designed to last much longer (decades usually), consumes far less power (80%+ less usually), and is far safer (low operating temperature so greatly reduced fire risk).

Traditional light bulbs pass electricity through a wire filament (encased in sometimes dangerous gases) which then glows hot to provide light. LED technology involves passes controlled electricity through a solid-state semiconductor (a Light Emitting Diode or LED chip) which emits light of a certain brightness and color. The heat produced by a LED is far less than incandescent lighting so the lights do not produce dangerous heat if installed properly.

LED chips, just like laptop computer chips, still need to be kept cool so their intended lifetime is preserved, This is why LED downlights have a rear heatsink. Premium LED downlights often have larger heatsinks to provide greater heat dissipation - these are usually only warm to touch even if the light is on all day, but they still serve an important function in lowering the operating temperature of the LED chip.

LED Colours

Technically, LED chips can be made to emit a specific light color and from the red, blue, yellow, and pure white light spectrum. This is why LED technology is applied to various applications. The terms warm white and cool white are references to the low and high end of this white light color spectrum.

Warm white - is a comfortable white color that is used in living areas and residential applications. It is what we are used to in Australian households. More than 95% of domestic lighting is warm white and most households opt to install 100% warm white.

Cool white - is an artificially whiter light that is normal in retail shopping centres, offices, and useful in household work areas like laundries and garages. Cool white, and it slightly less harsh "Natural White", are much lower demand than warm white for domestic use.

The technical measurement of light color is in Kelvins, and this is discussed below. As many LED lights are sold with a Kelvin color specification it might be useful for you to read our simple explanation of the Kelvin light color scale below.

The Kelvin Scale

LED color temperature is measured using the Kelvin scale represented by numbers followed by a “K”. Manufacturers and retailers can differ in their definition of the light range titles, but typically:

I want to match the light color of my old lights

If you are replacing incandescent lights or halogen downlights almost all globes sold for general household purposes in Australia have been warm white. You can always check the model number of the globe if you are unsure.

One difference in light color you will be likely to notice is when you dim lights. When you dim incandescent or halogen lights the filament would become increasingly orange (warmer). With LED chips, however, the light color will always remain the same regardless of the brightness. So if you dim a LED light only its brightness will reduce. This is easy to get accustomed to, and regarded as an improvement by most of our customers.

I have seen LED lights that are color adjustable

Some manufacturers and retailers are promoting lights where the color of the light can be changed - often with a remote! Renovator Store does sell such a light. What is actually happening is the light fixture usually includes a warm white LED chip set AND a cool white LED chip set. To change the color you are actually switching between the two or using a combination of both.

Whilst this might sound attractive as you do not have to select your light color upfront, the combination of two LED chip sets either materially increases the cost of the light, or the quality of the chip sets are reduced to keep the price competitive. In my experience, customers that have selected such lights eventually switch them to warm white and never touch them again - therefore I believe the gimmick will eventually disappear from the market.

Which color temperature is best for me?

It all depends on your needs. Work out what the function of the space is and then select your light color. IMPORTANTLY: you should not mix light colors in a single space as the difference would be quite evident.

COMMERCIAL LIGHTING AND TASK LIGHTING - If you are fitting a factory or a hospital, Cool White is the best choice for you because its "whiter than white" color exaggerates colors and is ideal for working and task-based lighting. It is sometimes called "icy white" and is equivalent to the light you get from the normal fluorescent tube lighting in offices and commercial buildings.

In the home, we recommend cool white (or natural white which is between cool and warm) for work and task areas such as home offices. Although not common, some people choose natural white (about 4000K) for bathrooms and kitchens for task lighting. However, if your kitchen is integrated with living spaces you should not mix light colors and would utilize a light color that suits the living spaces throughout.

LIVING AREAS - Warm White is by far the more practical and popular color temperature for home installation, especially if traditional light bulbs are to be replaced. As you can see in the image below warm white is a very normal light for the home. People usually tend to stick with the kind of lighting they already have and warm white LED lights to offer a similar lighting color. Warm white is regarded as almost essential for living spaces as anything above this is generally regarded as too harsh.

OUTDOOR LIGHTING - Selection of light color for outdoor lighting is a matter of preference. We recommend warm white for outdoor living, warm white is also more popular for outdoor lighting fixtures. The exception might be specialized security lights and access lighting.

Of course, if you would like further advice please ring Renovator Store on 1800 RENOSTORE or (03) 9544 3003.

We are thinking of changing our Halogen down lights to a LED light. Can you tell me if there is any or much difference in the running cost of Warm/Cool White Types. We notice that the Kelvin scale is different. Does this mean it cost more to run.
Thanks, Barry.

There is no running cost difference between warm and cool. Cool produces slightly more brightness (lumens) as it is a whiter white. You should pick your required light colour first, then required brightness. The only room you may need cool white in a house are laundry, garage, and potential other work areas. It produces a light like a dentist surgery.

Hi Brian - Sorry, I am not sure what you mean by "concrete canister". Our LED downlights do not need covers or canisters like halogen lights do as they produce very little heat. Let me know exactly what you mean and we can try and assist.

Apologies for delayed response. Warm white is almost the universally preferred light colour in living areas. If it was a dedicated home office I might suggest cool white as this provides that artificial office light you get from typical flour tube lighting. For a child's study I would go warm white but lean to a brighter than normal light (try our 15W or 18W Limelight lights)

Hi Rod. If you wish to keep the existing fitting and just replace the GU10 globes then go for GU10 LED globes. If there are 6 of them you really only need 3 to 5 watts and probably stick with a warm white colour so you avoid the artificial white colour. We have GU10 LED globes on our website at http://www.renovatorstore.com.au/lighting/led-globes.html. Otherwise remove the fitting and seek appropriate brightness from ceiling lights or get an LED track.

Hi Scott,
Thanks for your valuable contribution to previous posts. I recently purchased 8 x 9 watt Lucci LEDlux LED cool white deck lights with the intention of running them in a straight line interspersed at 1.5m intervals along a 12.3m wall. I have found these to be extremely bright and intrusive. Should I opt for the warm white instead or can I use a dimmer (not recommended) to dim these? Could it be said the warm white would be approx 50% as bright as the cool white? I have chosen this brand due to the marine grade stainless and was told the general quality was better. My preference is for cool white as it's a modern space but may have to resign to warm white? Any input would be appreciated.

Hi Adrian - if they are "deck" lights, 9W seems way too bright. Our stainless steel deck lights for outdoors are 1W! Deck lights should only be ambient light. Cool white, in my view, is too artificial for feature lighting unless you want that arctic white look - we only see warm white deck lights for that reason. The colour of the light does not affect how "modern" the space feels - quite simply cool white is only really practical in work spaces. It provides an artificially whiter white and therefore is used in shopping centres, hospitals, offices, etc. In the home it is useful for garages and laundries - maybe a home office - but not in a living area or outdoor space. Warm white is still white and you can only really "feel" the difference or see it if you look directly at the light.
Warm white has less luminosity than cool white for the same watts only due to colour, but the effect is marginal - not 50%.
Do not attempt to dim your lights if it is not recommended.

Have a look at our 316 stainless steel deck lights and the Harmon deck/wall light. They will be far better value than the Lucci lights at Beacon.

Hello Simos,
The Renovator Store is able to organise worldwide using Australia post however additional international shipping costs will be charged. We do not profit from shipping but simply pass on the charges to our international customers.
The Renovator Store provides free shipping Australia wide for our signed up members.
Is there a specific product that you are interested in?
If you have any more questions, please feel fee to contact us either by email at service@renovatorstore.com.au or on our toll free number
1800 RENO STORE

Not sure if this thread is still active or not, but I have a lighting dilemma. We just renovated our kitchen, and we are struggling to decide between a 5,000k LED or 2,700k LED for 8 overhead can lights. Additionally, we are trying to decide on both for under cabinet LED strip lights. The space is roughly 14' x 17' or 238sq ft.

Hi Zach - apologies for delayed response - we get a lot of blog responses! For a residential house ALWAYS choose warm white (2700 to 3000k) in living areas, especially if they are integrated with other areas that use warm white. Warm white will still be very white - the amount of light you need for a working area like a kitchen is a function of brightness (measured in lumens). A 5000K light is ok for a dedicated work-only space like a laundry, home office, or garage. Some will even install in the bathroom. It is akin to a retail shop or hospital light - the type of light from a fluoro tube light.

For the under cabinet lights, LED strips are now the simplest and cheapest solution. Connectivity and installation simplicity remains the last hurdle before we offer them through our store. You can go slightly whiter on these vs ceiling lights, but not much more.

Hi . I find this thread very informative and helpful. I have some particular queries regarding LED light temperature while buying them. They are mentioned below -

1. Bedroom 1 & Bedroom 2 - 12' x 12' dimensions with 10' height. I have chosen warm white (2700-3000K) for these rooms. There are in built wall cupboards, one in each bedroom. I have chosen to install cool white LED lights (4000-5000K) within those cupboards.

2. Kitchen - 8' x 6' dimensions and 10' height. I have chosen coll white (4000-5000K for it). also, the under cabinet lights that I have chosen for modular kitchen cabinets are of same color temperature.

Hi there - thanks for providing your lighting plans. Whilst lighting colour is a personal preference it is rare for homes to install anything but warm white in living areas. Warm white is a normal white light. Above this whiteness is typically for working spaces (garages, laundry, and home office) and special applications like retail spaces. Some people do prefer circa 4000k in the bathroom as it mimics a midday sunlight. Under cabinet and cupboard lights can be effective in cool white. If your kitchen is visible from other living areas then it would be advised to have all ceiling lights in warm white

Hello Scott we are using warm white, but we are getting headache with colour of light and also we don't like our home to be darker , we want more brighter and not darker lilights. You are recommending warm white for residential, can you give us the reason why cool white is not recommended for home living areas, for ex watching tv in dark shade of light is not good for eyes. Thanks looking forward to your reply

Hi Deepa. Warm white is universal in residential applications as it is the light that is most comfortable. Other factors such as flickering or light pulsing might contribute to headaches, but not light colour. Brightness is not light colour. If you want more brightness then your lights/globes are not strong enough - or you do not have enough. Normally a 12W light is required every 2m for sufficient brightness. Cool white is not a light colour that is generally used in living areas as it is a harsh artificial white. It is often found in retail stores, offices, and commercial areas. It can be useful in the garage, laundry and maybe the home office where you want artificially whiter light. Again, the brightness of any light is a function of the strength of the light source not its colour. Of course, if it is what you prefer then there is no reason not to use it, but the artificial whiteness will be noticeable to others that enter your house.

Hello Scott we are using warm white, but we are getting headache with colour of light and also we don't like our home to be darker , we want more brighter and not darker lilights. You are recommending warm white for residential, can you give us the reason why cool white is not recommended for home living areas, for ex watching tv in dark shade of light is not good for eyes. Thanks looking forward to yxour reply

Sorry - I missed this question. Remember that colour and brightness are different things. Warm white is definitely the right colour for a living space unless you like the idea of living under fluorescent colour lights. If you think warm white is giving you a headache then I am not sure what to suggest as it has been the colour of standard halogen and incandescent globes for many decades, and is the chosen colour in 99% of houses. Brightness is what you need to focus on. Go brighter than what you think you need then install an LED dimmer on the switch.

As an RV is a living area the normal choice is warm white. Some people might prefer an artificially whiter light for working and reading areas - but usually ensuring you have enough brightness is more important than colour for these applications

I am concerned about blue light from LED lighting as research is showing that it my affect the macular in the eyes. Could you tell me if warm white led down lighting emit the blue lighting.
thank you for any assistance you are able to give me.

The light emitted from LED is white light. The colour of the light is a function of where on the spectrum you have chosen the colour to be. A "cool white" light is 4000K to 6000K on the colour spectrum - this is also commonly referred to as "blue light". It is used extensively in commercial and retail areas - from both LED and fluorescent light sources - and I have never heard it poses a risk to eyes. "Warm white" is 2200K to 3000K and is also commonly referred to as the orange part of the light spectrum - it is not in the blue part of the spectrum. However, only an eye specialist can advise you what parts of the spectrum might be harmful to your eyes.

I have a timber flooring showroom and I need to improve the lighting.
There is a fair bit of natural light on sunny days, but we are in melbourne so that's every second day!!

Any way I have tried COOL WHITE and it throws a bluey colour on all the flooring.
i was thinking of natural white as warm is too dim.
I also wanted to get them in strong commercial led spotlights.
Any suggestions?

I would recommend warm white as that is the colour in 99% of living spaces. Your issue with it being too dim is not a light colour issue - you need stronger lights or more of them. Be careful going to very strong spotlights as then they may be too strong and you will have a glare problem. If you space circa 1100 lumen downlights every 2 metres you should have ample lighting - even in a high ceiling. Ring us on 03 95443003 if you wish to discuss

Would warm or cool white be best for lights around a makeup mirror? Would cool white most resemble natural light? Another poster suggested that cool white made faces look washed out which is not ideal for makeup application, however. Thank you.

Hi Helen - Warm white light is the most suitable light for makeup application. This is because it is a closer representation of sunlight. Cool white can indeed wash out the colour on your face, potentially leading you to overdo your bronzer and blush.

I recently changed my halogen down lights to LED down lights in my apartment.
I opted for the warm white 10w 2700k lights after being advised this is the light recommended however am really disappointed as the light in my place is now not as bright due to a much stronger 'yellow' colour which wasn't so noticeable with the previous halogen lights. The yellow colour that is now stronger makes the light seem not as bright.
Should I be changing them to Cool white? However I am concerned that will be too artificial but at the same time can't bare the dark yellow colour.
Thanks
Ben
The lights were is

A 2700K light should not be yellow. It would look white to look at and 2700K to 3000K is the same as standard halogen globes. In fact, when halogen is dimmed it goes orange, but when LED is dimmed the colour does not change - just the brightness. Yellow, or candle flame light, is about 2200K. Brightness is a completely different thing to colour. If you believe there is not enough brightness, then that means your lights do not have enough lumens. If you want more brightness then install 15W to 18W lights rather than 10W. If you change to 10W cool white it will be marginally brighter, but not a very friendly liveable light - more like an office or retail shop light. Please call us to discuss your options on 03 95443003

Hi there - are you saying the "operating temperature" of the two colours is different? It shouldnt be - the generated heat is really a function of the watts and the heat sink design. And the light fixture should only be warm to touch - after many hours of use. Most cool white or natural white lights are slightly more expensive as warm white is higher volume.

a bulb or a globe is a source of light that connects to a wired globe/bulb fitting. It can be incandescent, compact fluorescent, or LED. Most incandescents are now not used anymore. "warm" is a reference to the colour of the emitted light - nothing to do with the type of light source. If your desk light requires a globe, then pick a globe that has the correct fitting (bayonet or screw type, and pick your preferred light colour). I prefer cool white for a work area as it provides an artificially white light.

Hi Scott,
Firstly thankyou so much for making your responses so informative, as you have already answered my question about which colour light to chose in a home.
I have attempted to space my lighting in a usual grid pattern and initially spaced them in my drawings at 1.8m however everyone is telling me that I have too many lights and that I will find it no only unnecessary but all too bright as well.
I don't understand that, as 1.8m is on the very end of the spacings scale and on my drawings, it looks perfectly acceptable, what do you think?
I don't want to find out I've not put enough lights in, as it would be difficult to add more with my grid design rather than a random design.
I like a "starey" look, so was planning on using 8w LED's if possible rather than the usual recommendation of 12w LED's which allows me more lights in any room without exceeding the allowable total lighting in the whole home as we are bound by an energy limit. I also planned to have dimmers fitted almost everywhere for further control of the lighting.
Can you advise me as to whether I have it right?
Also I am having two groups of plants in a pool room and wanted to have a plant growing globe or specific light if different to a standard LED downlight but I'm finding it very difficult to find suitable information to make an informed decision.
I'm not looking at a flowering globe or light but simply a light to provide the plants with sufficient light, as the area where the plants are to sit will be somewhat dark.
Thankyou for your assistance.
Cheers,
Barbara

Hi barbara - 1.8m is a normal spacing, although the larger the light fitting the further apart they can go (but the more glare per fitting). Some people prefer a smaller lower wattage / lower lumen 70mm light to minimise glare rather than have fewer larger brighter lights. I believe you can get a bit too scientific with spacing - it depends on room colour, height, use, ceiling angle etc - the most important thing is to ensure the grid suits the room and go slightly brighter than estimated then install an LED dimmer switch. Then you can dim them down anyway. We recommend Lumex LED dimmer switches. I have seen rooms with 8w lights at approx 1m apart and I thought that was too many lights. 8w or 12w with dimmer at 1.8m should be fine in most applications. Which lights are you looking at on renovatorstore.com.au?

Whether you have 8w or 12w lights you will never exceed the wattage limit per square meter. That rule is designed to ensure new dwellings do not opt for halogen or incandescent lights.

I am not knowledgable about plant lights - if they need a UV light then LED will not suit as it specifically does not include this.

A cool white is only recommended for laundries and workspaces. It is unsuitable for living areas and the light projected is typically too harsh. A warm white is suitable to use throughout your house throughout both summer and winter.

Hi Scott.
Thank you very much for the informative article.
I had 'color adjustable' LEDs of 15W installed in my living room 18 months ago, we were generally using the 'cool white' and now most of them only work in the 'warm white' mode, This make it difficult for me to read in the living room as I find the warm white light to be dull. I intend to replace the LEDs. But as you recommend only warm white for living areas. Would warm white LEDs of 18W or 22W, make it easier for me to read? Thank you in advance.

Hi Aslam - warm white is certainly not "dull" - it is white! As long as it is bright enough it would be fine for reading. 18W is about as bright as you want to go in a residential home - higher than this and the glare would be too much. Just include enough lights in the room to get the brightness you want. We also recommend installing an LED dimmer so you can dim them from a "reading level" to a "relaxing level". I am not a fan of "colour adjustable LED" lights as I know how they work - LED actually cannot change colour so these lights have both a warm white chip set and a cool white chip set. You can then switch or blend between them. As there are two chip sets the light is either too expensive, or the chip sets are so poor quality to be price competitive that they soon fail. Changing colour is a novelty in my view - changing brightness (with a dimmer) is a very normal requirements

Hi Dani, in most commercial situations we would recommend a cool white but I think your situation is a little different. You're going to want your customers to feel as confident as possible, and hence your going to want to make sure your lights flatter their complexion and compliment the interior. A cool white is too harsh, and simply wont suffice for a salon. We recommend you opt for warm white, or natural white (between 3200K to 3500K is best).

Whilst retail shops tend to opt for cool white for their displays and offices use it for work areas, I believe it is too harsh for a hair salon or day spa where client comfort is paramount. You would not put cool white in a living space (unless you like the feel of a dentist surgery!) so I would not put it in a hair salon. I suggest warm white and brighter than normal (with dimmer switches to adjust)

I would not recommend this. Firstly, mixing light colour in the same or adjacent spaces is obvious to the eye and would not look natural. Secondly, residential living spaces almost always are best with warm white unless it is an isolated working space (eg. laundry, garage, home office room). I would however recommend the kitchen bench has sufficient brightness - maybe over compensate and then include a dimmer switch on the circuit. Brightness is far more important than colour for the kitchen.

Hi James - office buildings are typically 4000K to 6000K. Work areas usually require unnaturally white light (eg fluorescent tube) to assist with clarity of vision. As for a foyer/ lobby area my personal view is the light colour and strength should match the decor and theme of the lobby. 6000K would be fine for a hospital lobby, but a trendy artistic lobby I would go warm white - it is more comfortable and inviting. I recently inspected a new apartment building in Melbourne and the common lift lobby and corridors were all cool white - I thought it was too harsh and clinical and not what residents would want to see on entry.

I have a modern pedestal lamp that uses a 10 cm Halogen bulb. It looks awfully yellow as it comes out through the top and onto the walls. My living space is very modern and the yellow is horrible. But when I tried to change to LED I used a 6000k daylight option which my husband says looks too cold. Plus, even though I can still dim it, it seems we have to unplug the lamp so it will turn off. Today I am thinking about trying the warm LED or going back to the Halogen, though I don't like the fact that it tends to turn even yellower when dimmed. I wish there was a 4000k option but I cannot find it anywhere. Can you offer me some guidance here? Thanks much, Christie

Hi Christie
When it comes to halogen and incandescent lights the light colour changes as the luminaire is dimmed. When it is dimmed right down the filament is an orange colour (which is what you are probably seeing). Some of these globes are of course designed to be a "very warm white" (akin to candle colour).

The benefit of LED is that when dimmed the light colour DOES NOT change - only the brightness changes. Of course, the globe has to be a dimmable globe or a dimmer will do nothing or may make the light not function correctly.

As for 6000k (cool white) that will be a very artificial white that is really only useful for working areas. I would really only recommend warm white for a living area (about 3000k). I do not know the globe requirement for lamps in Italy, but I always recommend paying a bit extra for a dimmable globe for lamps do you can adjust them.

Hi Scott ,
I am planning to change the lights in my shop. I have retail shop of fashion, jewelry and textiles and I need some information about LED warm and cold light, transparent or milky white, would you please suggest me which lights are better for my retail shop i will apreciate .
Thanks
S,Sikander

For retail jewelry shops the answer is almost always cool white - unless you have a desire to create a more livable comfortable feel. Sometimes warm white in the room and cool white focused lights on the products can make a nice effect. As for transparent/milky lenses, it usually comes down to if the light source is visible - then you want to diffuse the glare, but this is not usual if it is a spot light as diffusing a spot light will spread the light rather than focus it.

I am not sure Nikola, but I think all visible white light contains the spectrum (ie including blue light). As warm white is further to the right in the spectrum it would contain less blue light. I know there are health concern about concentrated blue light, but the websites that detail the concern focus on digital screens as the main cause of concern

We have just moved to our new home which has around 75 Halogen lights which we are planning to get replaced by LED downlights to save on electricity cost.

We always have preferred Cool white over warm white. However, when I contact Organisatoin in Victoria for free replacement as part of government rebate, it seems that most providers only offer Warm white.

Do you know, if it's possible to get Cool white installed free of cost or at concessional cost. It will be great if you can share details of Organisation who can provide this.

Hi Vishal - cool white is rarely chosen for a living space as it emits an artificially white light. Good for offices, hospitals and retail stores - but not comfortable for living. I doubt you will find anyone willing to install cool white in your house as in our experience most want it removed soon after. All the "concession sellers" are actually claiming via the government for their installation costs by highlighting the carbon credits saved from a change in lights. At the same time they offer globes/lights worth a few dollars for free to the customer. Most of our customers are peope that have used these programs and sellers with very negative results. The quality of the lights used is very poor and they just want to install and go so they get paid for carbon credits. The government has closed the programs

I want to put new led lights inside my dental office.
I am thinking of putting led light around 4000 k in my examination room and led tape in the corners (honestly I hate cool white 6000k) and warm light 3000k in the waiting area?
what do you think?
do you agree with my proposal?

Hi Bill - I think your suggestions are fine. Light colour is a personal preference, and 6000K is artificially white. 4000K is closer to daylight. Warm white in the waiting room is more welcoming. Let us know how we can assist - we have a number of LED downlight models on sale.